Rats
Of all the animals used in research, the laboratory rat is the first that comes to mind. The rat is the face of all animal research. Laboratory rats are used in thousands of experiments each year, most all of them terminal, meaning the rat is killed at the end of the experiment.
In October 2011, the Kindness Ranch expanded the types of animals at our sanctuary by becoming a home to rats who were used in research. A researcher at a university in Colorado finalized his behavioral research and sought a home for the animals he’d worked with during the prior year. The Kindness Ranch connected with him and his school and adopted four rats. This was our first rescue of animals from this university, and we hope that it leads to helping many more animals.
We are pleased to welcome these rodent representatives of animal research and hope to rehome them swiftly. We also look forward to helping our visitors learn more about domestic rats and what wonderful companions they make.
Rats have a great deal of intelligence. They can learn rules, generalize, count, possess many emotions and cooperate to solve complex problems. Domesticated rats can easily learn things commonly associated with training dogs or cats: how to fetch, use a litter box, sit, roll over, jump, walk on a leash and more. Though rats have gotten a bad rap throughout history, the reality is that they are affectionate, clean and loyal animals.
The newest residents at the Kindness Ranch come with unique names and personalities.
Hume, named for the Scottish philosopher, is one of our more active rats. He loves playing in tubes and pipes and chewing wooden blocks. He is white with a black racing stripe of fur down his back.
Galileo is named for the famous philosopher and astronomer. His black and white fur creates a “G,” which helps us remember his name. He is outgoing and adventurous.
Amaranth first appeared in Aesop’s Fables. He was a flower, jealous of the rose. But the rose pointed out that the amaranth flower lives forever, while the rose’s beauty is fleeting. Amaranth is the largest of our lab rats and sometimes likes to throw his weight around.
Unlike most rats in labs, who are deprived of their instincts and subjected to painful, invasive experiments and then destroyed, these three are tenderly handled by people and explore a large foraging area, where they reveal their gentle and inquisitive nature. We are thankful for their freedom and the opportunity to help these adoptable animals live out their days in comfort.
